Gabon Fertilizer Calculator

Estimate a planning NPK requirement for supported crops, then confirm the field rate with a soil test and local agronomist.

🧪 Calculate Fertilizer Needs
Only crops with a maintained nutrient-removal method are listed. Ask a local agronomist for crop- and field-specific rates.

Enter values for a more accurate recommendation. Leave blank for regional estimates.

🌱 NPK Requirement (per hectare)
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Nitrogen (N) kg/ha
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Phosphorus (P₂O₅) kg/ha
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Potassium (K₂O) kg/ha

For -- targeting -- t/ha on -- ha

🛒 Fertilizer Shopping List
ProductBagsPrice/BagTotal
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Market price total

📅 Application Schedule
🌿 Organic Alternatives

Equivalent organic inputs to supply the same nitrogen. Organic sources also improve soil structure.

💡 Why Soil Testing Matters
Why should I test my soil?

Soil testing reveals exactly what nutrients your soil already has. Without it, you might over-apply (wasting money) or under-apply (limiting yields).

When NOT to apply fertilizer

Avoid applying on waterlogged soil, during heavy rain, or when crops are drought-stressed. Do not apply urea on hot, dry surfaces.

Fertilizer safety tips

Store in dry, cool places away from children and animals. Wear gloves. Never mix different fertilizers unless recommended.

Data Sources: FAOSTAT (FAO), Gabon National Statistics, World Bank, CGIAR.
Fertilizer recommendations are indicative — consult your local extension officer. Last updated: 2026.

Farming context: Gabon

Gabon fertilizer estimates use the selected crop, field, soil and product assumptions from the GA agriculture dataset. Check local conditions before applying national averages.

Agriculture share of GDP~5%
Arable land500,000 ha
Irrigated share~1%
Main food cropscassava, plantain, maize
Main export cropscocoa, rubber, oil palm

Country context from the AfroTools agriculture dataset - planning reference, not agronomic advice. Confirm with local extension services.

Fertilizer Use in Gabon

Gabon is an oil-rich Central African nation covered predominantly by equatorial rainforest, with agriculture contributing less than 5% of GDP. Most food is imported, and the agricultural sector is small-scale, focusing on cassava, plantain, taro, maize, and vegetables for domestic consumption. Cash crops include rubber, oil palm, cocoa, and coffee, though production volumes are modest. Fertilizer consumption is very low, estimated at under 5,000 tonnes annually, with most used by commercial plantations (SIAT Gabon for rubber and oil palm, AGROGABON for palm oil) rather than smallholder farmers. All fertilizer is imported through the port of Owendo near Libreville. The government's agricultural diversification strategy includes plans to increase food production, which will require expanded fertilizer use.

Common Fertilizer Types

NPK 12-12-17 and 15-15-15 are the most commonly used compound fertilizers in Gabon, applied by both commercial plantations and the few semi-intensive food crop producers. Specialized palm fertilizers containing magnesium and boron are imported for the oil palm sector. Urea is used on rubber plantations and for intensive vegetable production in the suburban areas around Libreville and Port-Gentil. For the cocoa sector, recommendations follow regional CORAF protocols with NPK formulations suited to forest soils. Organic farming practices dominate among smallholders, with ash from slash-and-burn clearing providing short-term fertility on newly cleared forest plots. The government and IRAF (Institut de Recherches Agronomiques et Forestieres) promote composting and integrated soil fertility management as sustainable alternatives to shifting cultivation.

Subsidy Programs & Access

Gabon does not operate a formal nationwide fertilizer subsidy program for smallholder farmers. Agricultural support is channeled through the Ministry of Agriculture and various development programs. The GRAINE program (Gabonaise des Realisations Agricoles et des Initiatives des Nationaux Engages), launched as a public-private partnership with Olam International, provides inputs including fertilizer to participating oil palm and rubber smallholders, with costs recovered from future production. The National Agricultural Development Agency (AGANOR) coordinates food crop development programs that may include input provision. Commercial plantations purchase fertilizer through international procurement. For smallholder food crop farmers, access to fertilizer is limited to urban and peri-urban agro-dealer shops, with prices reflecting full import costs plus inland transport. Development projects supported by FAO and AfDB occasionally include input distribution components targeting vulnerable farming communities.